What Jesus Has To Offer And The Growth of Pharisaic Opposition (9:10-34).
We are now informed about the first open opposition among the Pharisees to Jesus. The Pharisees had seemingly previously approached John with a critical attitude, along with the Sadducees. They had felt that it was their duty to vet any new prophet. But they had been firmly put in their place (Matthew 3:7-9). Now they will begin to criticise Jesus, and their criticism will grow and will continue on to the end. Not all Pharisees, however, were like this. Some did meet up with Jesus and hold conversations with Him (e.g. John 3:1-6; Luke 14:1; Mark 12:28-34). But here it is the antagonistic majority who are in mind.
They are mentioned three times in this passage, in Matthew 9:11; Matthew 9:14; Matthew 9:34, and as a result we begin to recognise their growing hostility. Previously we have had the murmuring of the Scribes (Matthew 9:3). Now the opposition will become more open, and He will be more closely observed. They will first criticise Him for the company He keeps (Matthew 9:11), then indirectly for not encouraging fasting (Matthew 9:14), and finally, quite falsely, for casting out devils by the prince of devils (Matthew 9:34). This last is what shows up their total hypocrisy, for they had no grounds for such a claim. It was simply a let out for them because they had no other explanation for His success, apart from the one that they were not willing to contemplate, that He really was from God. But we should note that Matthew does not yet associate them with the Scribes in their opposition. That would become prominent later
The original Pharisees had been genuine protectors of the Law, but many of them had gradually become more taken up with the ritual that their teachers had laid down than with the root purposes of the Law. To them the correct washing of the hands, the observance of minutiae about the Sabbath, and the tithing of even the smallest thing had become more important than a genuine concern for others. And they suspiciously watched others in order to ensure that they maintained the same standards as themselves, especially people like Jesus and John, because they were so sure hat they were right.
On the other hand Jesus stands in contrast to them and stresses what He has come to offer. This will be revealed in Matthew 9:10-35. He has come in order to help those who have been neglected by religious people (Matthew 9:10). He wanted to reach down and lift up the fallen. He has come as a physician (Matthew 9:12). He wanted to heal the spiritually needy. He wanted to bring sinners to God. And that involved meeting up with them. He has come as the Bridegroom to bring something new, putting the old aside, for His presence as the Bridegroom is the proof that a new age is upon them (Matthew 9:15-17). He has come as the Life-giver to offer life and restoration (Matthew 9:18-26). He has come to open the eyes of the blind and to loosen the tongue of the dumb (Matthew 9:27-34). He has come bringing the Good News of God's Kingly Rule offered to all who will accept it (Matthew 9:35).
Analysis.
a Jesus has come as the Healer of the sins of all men, but the Pharisees criticise His eating with public servants and sinners (Matthew 9:10-13).
b Jesus is criticised for not fasting but points out that He has come bringing something new. He is the heavenly Bridegroom (Matthew 9:14-17).
c Jesus raises the dead with His HAND of power and heals a woman who is unclean with a discharge of blood through her FAITH (Matthew 9:18-26).
b Jesus opens the eyes of the blind with His TOUCH as a result of their FAITH. He is the SON OF DAVID (Matthew 9:27-31).
a Jesus makes the demon-possessed dumb man speak but is accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by means of the Prince of demons (Matthew 9:32-34).
Note that in ‘a' Jesus is criticised by the Pharisees for the company He keeps, and similarly in the parallel. In ‘b' Jesus has brought something new as the heavenly Bridegroom and in the parallel blind eyes are opened. Centrally in ‘c' is the raising of the dead and the cleansing of the woman because of her faith.